After
by g-aurelia
Summary: Post Always. A few scenes from the 5x01 of my unspoiled imagination.
1. Chapter 1

"I should go." She lightly brushed a hand down his arm. "Before Alexis gets home."

He gave her a startled look. "Why?"

"I thought you'd want to talk to her without me here." His face still held a question mark so she continued. "About us."

She saw a flicker of something across his face. Relief, maybe? What did he think she meant?

"You don't want... I mean, we could tell her together."

She huffed a laugh. "Really? Don't you think that might be a little awkward for her?"

His brow furrowed a little. "Awkward for her, or for you?"

"Castle."

He raised an eyebrow slightly. He knew he was pushing but he didn't withdraw the question. He was surprised when her gaze flicked to the floor then settled somewhere on his sleeve. Did he really just win that stare down?

"Okay, so... yeah, there is potential for awkwardness all around, but that's not why I should go."

She glanced back to his face and huffed another laugh. "I know if my dad had someone new in his life I'd want him to tell me before making introductions." She cringed at the thought.

He still didn't get it. "But you already know each other. What introductions?"

"I know. Just..." She sighed. "Don't you want her honest reaction?"

He didn't know if he should be affronted. "Are you saying my daughter wouldn't be honest wi..."

"No! No, Castle."

Why couldn't she make him understand? She took a deep breath to calm herself and find a more steady tone of voice. "I'm saying that she's polite, Rick." She studied his face to see if they were finally connecting on this. "If I'm here she may feel like she has to curb her reaction to be polite to me."

"Okay. I guess I can understand that." He still looked concerned.

"But...?"

"But why do you think she won't be happy for me? For us?"

"I hope she is." She stepped closer and rested her arms lightly over his shoulders. "But Castle, that may not be her first reaction. Don't be too surprised if she has to go through a few stages to get there."

As his arms wrapped around her back, pulling her in tightly, her breath ghosted across his ear. "And Rick? It's okay if she needs me to prove myself. I'm willing to do that for her. For us."


	2. Chapter 2

Technically it was her second shower of the day, but the first one was with Castle and was... well, recreational. Since she had to put on the previous day's clothing to come home she felt grimy again and her muscles and joints were starting to remind her of how much of a beating she had taken on that rooftop. Letting the stream of hot water soothe her body she slowed her breathing, willed her muscles to relax and tried to clear her mind. It was one of the exercises Dr. Burke had suggested. Even after all that had happened in the last 48 hours she wasn't feeling panicked but she knew she had a difficult task ahead and she wanted to be calm and clearheaded for it. She couldn't allow herself any room for doubt.

She glanced around the room, idly toweling at her damp hair, looking for any small distraction. Finding no figuratively shiny objects at hand she glanced toward her office space and sighed.

"Okay. Let's get this over with."

Dropping the towel over her desk chair she spotted the box she kept forgetting to take down to the recycling bin. She placed the empty box on her desk, closed her eyes and took several deep, calming breaths. When she opened her eyes again she didn't hesitate before opening the shutters over the window and began to take down the pieces of her mother's murder board.

* * *

He sighed deeply as he plopped down at his desk, rubbing his hands over his face. Wow. Kate had been so very right. Alexis had not exactly been overjoyed to hear that Beckett and her father were now romantically involved. And the stony silence over lunch? How did Kate put it? "Awkwardness all around." Yeah.

After lunch they talked. Really talked. He was able to assuage some of her concerns and had to admit that he shared a few. In the end they were both exhausted and while Alexis still wasn't overjoyed she seemed... okay. Maybe even tentatively happy. The tight hug and "I love you, Dad" before she headed upstairs went a long way toward reassuring him that things would work out.

One of the fears that he couldn't address to Alexis' satisfaction was the danger surrounding Beckett's mother's case. He told her that Kate had made the choice to drop the investigation and stressed what a huge step that was for Kate. He has a smart kid though. He could see that she knew that wouldn't make the danger go away. Just because Kate stopped chasing the dragon didn't mean the dragon would stop chasing her.

He stood and paced toward the window, idly noting the lengthening afternoon shadows.

Alexis hadn't come right out and said it, but the implication was clear. And he couldn't reassure her because honestly, she was right. He would do whatever it took to keep Beckett safe. Always.

Turning back toward his desk, he stopped at the smartboard. As the device came out of sleep mode the screen brightened the room with it's cool glow. Without hesitation he opened the trash folder and dragged the file labeled "BECKETT" out to it's former place.


	3. Chapter 3

Dropping back into his desk chair, he reached for the remote to turn off the smartboard and opened up his laptop. After a quick glance at his email he opened a blank document and started making some notes. It was really just a series of disconnected images and snippets of dialogue; he didn't know if any of it would ever be useful. He saved the file and closed the laptop.

He reached for his phone as he propped his feet up, tapping the call button while reclining back into his chair. His chest warmed when instead of the expected "Beckett", she answered with a soft, "Hey."

"Hey. Whatcha up to?"

"Just trying to figure out if there is a meal to be had from the contents of my kitchen. You?"

"Nothing much. Just wondering how I'm going to spend my evening after my daughter abandons me in favor of her friends again." He sighed heavily.

She huffed a laugh. "You are so dramatic."

He grinned as he imagined the eye roll to go with her words.

"So... how did it go? With Alexis?" She found herself holding her breath while listening to him exhale slowly before answering.

"Okay." He paused. "She wasn't thrilled at first, but now... well, she's still not thrilled but she's okay." His voice perked up and she could almost see the smirk on his face as he added, "I think 'thrilled' is completely within the realm of possibility though. In fact, I think we should be aiming for 'elated'! Or..."

"Castle."

He dropped back down to a more serious tone. "She'll probably call you. Soon."

"Okay." She spoke so quietly he barely heard her.

"Kate, I couldn't answer everything," he said in a rush, "but if you don't..."

"No, it's okay." It sounded like she was convincing herself more than him, but the strength was back in her voice. "It's good, really. We should talk."

He sighed and paused for a moment before leaping in again.

"You know... _we_ should probably talk about some things, too."

"Yeah. We should."

"You never really told me much about what happened yesterday..."

"Yeah."

"... and I, um. I should probably fill you in on Mr. Smith and your mom's..."

"Mr. Smith?"

"Montgomery's friend."

"Oh." She took a deep breath. "Rick?"

"Yeah?"

"We can't do this over the phone."

"No, right. Of course not." His stomach clenched at the thought of putting off or ignoring any this.

"Come over?" Her voice was soft again. "We can eat and we'll... we'll talk. I don't have much food here, but we can order..."

"I'll pick something up on the way."


	4. Chapter 4

She grinned when she heard the knock on the door and started talking as she approached to answer.

"Wow! Were you trying to set some kind of Manhattan land-speed record..."

Her words choked off when she found herself looking into the blue eyes of...

"Ryan? Um. Hi."

"Beckett." The detective looked uncomfortable, but determined.

"Uh, come in."

"Thanks."

She led the way back to her kitchen and busied herself with pouring a glass of water. Turning back toward him she gestured, wordlessly offering him a glass as well. He silently declined.

"So..." she began, unsure of where to begin.

"Beckett, did you really quit?"

She sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah." Her voice was quiet but unwavering. "I did."

"Beckett..."

"Look, Ryan, this was something I needed to do. For me. For... Just..." She paused, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry that I put you in the position I did. I really am. And I know that you did what you had to do. Just please trust that I'm doing what I need to do now. "

Ryan didn't seem to be reassured but he gave a slight nod. "Okay. But I, um, need to ask you a few questions."

She threw him a questioning look. "Okay."

He was already pulling a photo out of his jacket pocket. It was a close-up of a man's face but it was obviously a crime scene photo of a murder victim. "Do you know this man?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, Ryan. What's this about?"

She felt the tension of the past week creeping back into her muscles as Ryan took the time to put the photo away before answering.

"He knew you. Or knew a lot about you."

"What are you talking about?"

"This guy was shot in his home late last night. On his desk, right out in the open, was a file on you, Beckett. Academy scores, personnel files, news clippings... your entire career. Why would he have all that?"

As her mouth dropped open there was a knock at the door.

* * *

He didn't quite know what to make of the look on her face when she opened the door, but he tried not to over-think it and quickly leaned in to kiss her. She met his lips with hers but a hand on his chest kept it from being more than a quick peck as she stepped back to let him enter.

"I hope you're hungry!" He cheerfully held the rather large bag of take-out up for her to see. "I got..."

"Castle."

He stopped abruptly, startled by her tight grip on his wrist and her hissed whisper.

"Ryan is here."

"Ryan?"

"Hi, Castle." Ryan glanced at the bag Castle carried and eyed the pair, who had frozen half way down the hall. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No?"  
"Kind of."

Both men looked questioningly at Beckett and she just shrugged, not knowing how to elaborate on her affirmative answer.

"Ooookaay." Ryan turned to follow as Beckett led them back into the kitchen. "Well, I guess this works out because I was going to come see you next, Castle."

Beckett was already unpacking the bag that Castle had placed on the kitchen island, but she stopped and spoke sharply before Castle had a chance to respond. "What?! Why?"

"Um, guys? I feel like I'm coming in half way through the story here. What's going on?"

Beckett's gaze didn't waver from Ryan's even as he cleared his throat and turned to the writer.

"Castle, a murder victim had your number in his recent calls list." He pulled the photo out again. "Do you know this man?"

Castle felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs. "Smith", he whispered.

"Shit." Beckett slumped and dropped her head into her hands.

"How do you know him? What was the call about?"

Castle took in Kate's defeated posture before turning back to Ryan. "I think we all need to sit down and compare notes on this thing. Esposito, too."

Ryan's gaze dropped to his shoes as he muttered, "Yeah, I don't think that's happening."

Castle continued, "And I hate to say it, but I think we need Gates."

"Rick," she spoke softly.

Castle turned to her, surprised to find her fingers slipping over his hand and into his palm. Her gaze was fixed somewhere around the opening of his collar.

"I want to let this go, Castle. I really do..."

"I know." He squeezed her hand and brought his free hand up to her chin, gently lifting until her eyes met his. "I know you do, but it might be too late. Kate, we'll do this together. We're stronger together. We'll face the dragon."

* * *

_The end._

* * *

Thanks for following along! I have no doubt the show will do a much better job of bringing Beckett and Castle back to the precinct than my attempt here.


End file.
